Lobster feasting just yards from the harbour – we visit a Bridlington seafood treasure
There are few things as good as eating seafood by the sea. Knowing the catch of the day has barely been on a food journey at all is something to celebrate.
At Salt on the Harbour in Bridlington the team is on a mission to celebrate the seafood landed at their door, and they do a mighty fine job.
The harbour town isn’t necessarily the first place you think of when seeking out fancy seafood restaurants and a few weeks back it was named one of the UK’s worst seaside towns for its lack of facilities. Ouch.
I’d only been to Brid a couple of times, long ago, and looked forward to discovering more. Nothing is that bad where there are sweeping sands, big skies and a booming lobster fishing trade surely?
Salt on the Harbour is one of the most welcoming places you’ll find. Staff are willing you to see just how good they are at this restaurant business.
The place looks utterly unassuming – it was an RAF hangar in another life. It’s a restaurant with rooms. It’s not a boutique hotel but it’s all well looked after - clean and comfy with nice bedding, ensuite and TV. A good place to linger.
But you’d be hard pressed to find a room with a better view – you’re virtually in the harbour, so close are the boats.
Keep the curtains open and in the morning, you get to watch your very own sunrise without moving from your bed – it's magical.
The food is all about fish as you might imagine and there’s a highly skilled team in the kitchen who really wow with their local ingredients. Clearly, they are proud of what the boats bring in and ready to show what their harbour has up its sleeve. The aim is to big up Bridlington and they really do.
There’s good intent with the whole message of the place – it has been a love affair from day one for entrepreneur and restaurateur Michael Harrison, who has put his money where his mouth is by supporting Bridlington's lobster, crab and fish industry and local food producers. Good for him.
The restaurant itself has ground floor bar area looks to the harbour. The first-floor restaurant obviously excels at sea views and the team, some willing youngsters among them, is full of heart and passion for their restaurant.
We ate on a Saturday night and it was busy and bustling. The décor is as fresh and sparkly as the waves on a bright day and makes you desperate to dive into a seafood platter. Customers spanned the generations; families celebrating, well-heeled regulars tucking in to their Saturday lobster, as you do.
The menu is great if you are a seafood fan – it was my idea of heaven. We tucked into oysters from Lindisfarne, which are always the finest, then I had s Bridlington Bay crab trifle (£10.95) to start. A lovely light concoction of white and brown crab, layered with an avocado mousse, tarragon, and tomato sauce, served with artisan bread. Lovely balance of flavours and punchy crab meat. We also had pan-fried scallops (£12.95), buttery and charred with a silky centre.
There was no getting away from lobster as a main course, how can you not? They are dab hand with the cooking of these beasties and you can choose to have a whole lobster (£38) or half (£21) and choose a sauce - thermidor, lemon and caper or, as we did, garlic and parsley - which really complemented the juicy lobster flesh, excellently cooked.
Decision-making proving tricky, I went for Surf & Surf, half a lobster and garlic king prawns served with frites and a lobster bisque, (£35.95). It looked magical with the pinky prawn and lobster just waiting for you get stuck in and hands messy. The stuff of dreams, tasting fresh, juicy and sweet. Expertly cooked and with all the sides you need in the circumstances, namely fries and salad. It feels like some kind of seafood conspiracy in the restaurant, like everyone is being reminded of happy hols in the Med as they crack a claw. The wine list hits the spot for a seafood menu and the crisp and super-pale Sea Change Vin de Provence we drank just reinforced our holiday joy. This wine helps support ocean conservation, cheers to that.
After dinner we had a brief harbourside walk then next morning woke to the brilliant sunrise. At an unearthly hour we headed for the vast sands of the bay and walked and walked, passing a few beachcombers and joggers, it was bliss.
We returned for an excellent breakfast sat in the sun, watching the bobbing boats and giving our vote to Bridlington’s bright future.
